Ontario Physicians want conscience rights protected.

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) on February 20 ended their consultation on the issue of conscience rights for physicians.

The CPSO has been suggesting that physicians will not be required to assist the death of their patients but that they will be required to refer their patients to a physician who will assist the death.

The CPSO had an online poll asking: Do you think a physician should be allowed to refuse to provide a patient with a treatment or procedure because it conflicts with the physician's religious or moral beliefs? 

The CPSO published the results of the online poll. Out of 32,912 respondents, 25,230 (77%) agreed that the conscience rights of physician should be protected.

Physicians are demanding that their conscience rights continue to be protected by the CPSO. These physicians consider assisted death to be not part of health care.

Physicians should not be required to lethal inject, assist the suicide, or refer a patient a physician or an agency for the purpose of causing or assisting death.

• Protect your right to ethical medical treatment in Ontario and Saskatchewan.